Ray Ison, Professor in Systems at the UK Open University since 1994, is a member of the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice Group. From 2008-15 he also developed and ran the Systemic Governance Research Program at Monash University, Melbourne. In this blog he reflects on contemporary issues from a systemic perspective.

Abstract: In his 1972
paper, "Responsibilities of Competence", Heinz von Foerster calls on
cyberneticians to accept their responsibilities for the realities they
construct and to use their competencies as cyberneticians
to act for the good. In my lecture, I review the thinking that led
Heinz to make this call. I then briefly overview, as best I can
holistically and globally, the many problems for which call for the
competencies of the cybernetician. These problems can be
usefully distinguished as first and second order problems. I focus on
the second order problems that are presented by pathological belief
systems: of which I distinguish two kinds: "individualism" and "the
dogmas of collectives". I review some of the main
forms that these pathologies may take. Using concepts from cybernetics
as a foundation, I go on to argue that, although these pathologies may
never be fully eradicated from human thinking and ways of behaving, they
can be minimised by education of the right
kind: education for cybernetic enlightenment.

Bernard Scott

Dr Bernard Scott
graduated from Brunel University, UK, in 1968 with a first class
honours degree in Psychology. He completed a Ph.D. in Cybernetics from
the same university
in 1976. His supervisor was Gordon Pask, with whom he worked between
1967 and 1978. Bernard is former Head of the Flexible Learning Support
Centre, UK Defence Academy and former Reader in Cybernetics, Cranfield
University, UK. He retired from these positions
in August, 2009, and September, 2010, respectively. He now works as an
independent researcher. He holds an honorary position as Senior Research
Fellow with the Center for Sociocybernetics Studies, Bonn. Bernard is a
Fellow and founder member of the U.K.'s
Cybernetics Society. He is an Associate Fellow of the British
Psychological Society, a Fellow of the American Society for Cybernetics
and an Academician of the International Academy of Systems and
Cybernetics Sciences. Bernard is Past President of Research
Committee 51 (on Sociocybernetics) of the International Sociological
Association. In 2013, Bernard was presented with the McCulloch Award by
the American Society for Cybernetics.

II. Heinz von Foerster's Birthday Party

Thursday, 13th November 2014, 20:00

echoraum, Sechshauser Straße 66, 1150 Wien

As in earlier years echoraum (many thanks to
Werner Korn
!) opens its premises in order to celebrate Heinz von Foerster's birthday.

We present visual and audio material (including a video from the collection of
Carol Wilder, NYC, and tapes from the Heinz von Foerster archives, Vienna). With a special contribution by
Anton Staudinger.